1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communications, and, in particular, to satellite communication systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
In typical satellite-based communications, the on-board switching equipment consists primarily of a bent-pipe system which acts to receive and then re-transmit a user signal to an appropriate destination. In order to receive multiple user signals from different sources and then re-transmit those different user signals to different appropriate destinations, relatively complex on-board switching designs are required. Conventional solutions to this problem call for individual digital hardware elements to process each user signal. Such solutions greatly increase the amount of equipment, installation and maintenance costs, and user service rates, and decreases signal-to-interference ratios.
There is a need for a seamless, flexible satellite communication network that can provide desired user services with high performance while still keeping satellite switching equipment costs to an acceptable level. An aspect of the present invention addresses this need.
Further aspects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.